[KingMessi]

(Original post by Norfolkadam)
Typical Waugh really. I happen to like his novels but I can see why you wouldn't. There's not much to say about them because they're just stories about the upper class.

I've only read 'Brideshead Revisited' so I can't comment on Waugh in general - though I have 'Decline and Fall' on my reading list. I adored 'Brideshead' after reading it in depth; but there were many who didn't. I think the same objection could be made against Jane Austen's novels...

[Angury]

(Original post by Demon_AS)

Spoiler

Hello! I'm so very sorry for the delay, it's been a very busy week for me haha .

I used to pronounce Faile's name the same way as you did for a long time lol. To be honest, I did it deliberately because she annoyed me a lot as a character. She's grown on me, though, so I quite like her now.

I don't think you need to worry about a Harry Potter ending, although I, personally, didn't think it was THAT bad! I liked it, actually . It seemed like a nice, happy way to finish. It being a children's book, I don't really see how anybody expected it to end any other way . Still, Brandon Sanderson said that he's read the ending, and he said it was brilliant. I trust him, so I can't wait to read it for myself... even if I have to wait till January 2013 now .

Did you know that they'd put the dates back for the book? Previously it was supposed to be out this November.

I know what you mean - it will be kinda sad once all this discussion and anticipation is over lol. But still - WOT film, do you think? I hope they don't make a film, because that would ruin the books. Maybe a TV series, though... maybe?

Haha, you're the first person to have ever told me that they enjoyed my philosophical ramblings . Thank you for that, I guess there really is a first for everything . How do YOU think RJ is going to end the series, since you've had my crazy theories?

I agree - Faile would beat Berelain, but it would be a close thing. A matter of heart and desire rather than raw skill (which I think Berelain possesses).

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Finally I've replied! Are you suprised? Sorry for taking so long, horrible exams and school work have kept me busy.
Yeah, tbh I should have expected that sort of ending from Harry Potter since it's a childrens book, but I still enjoy reading the series now and again. It'll always be one of my favourites because it's been such a huge part of my childhood, and it's what got me interested in fantasy in the first place. Without Harry Potter I don't think I would have ever started reading the Wheel of Time. The sheer volume of the books would have deterred me. Even now, whenever I'm reading a WoT book I'll have friends coming up to me asking how on earth I can read such a thick book.. and then they realise that there's thirteen of them!

I had no idea that the date had been moved forward to 2013. It is a little annoying because I had initially assumed it would be released in November 2011, but I'm sure it'll be worth the wait, and will involve an epic finale to such a brilliant series.

Personally, I hope a WoT film isn't made. I generally get annoyed at most films that have been adapted from books. I know they can't fit in everything but I guess you could say I'm a purist. The film makers always change far too much for my liking, and I often leave the cinema feeling disappointed. A TV series on the other hand, would be a better idea. I really love the way the Game of Thrones series was adapted to a TV series. I think it works better with a fantasy series that is lengthy, as it means that you're able to add in more detail. And when you consider the amount of detail that Robert Jordan went into in WoT, I can't see a movie working without having to miss out large chunks of the story.

I haven't actually put much thought into how the series will end. I've been too busy reading the Game of Thrones series recently to give much thought to WoT (my head is in too many worlds, and earth isn't one of them ) but I think that Rand will die in the end. He's gone through so much in the series already, I can't really imagine him surviving. Or if he does somehow manage to survive, I can't imagine him living for too long afterwards.. everything he's been through has got to have had a massive effect on him. I would like to see the series end with the Dark One winning.. I don't know why, maybe I'm just an evil person at heart. It normally is the good guys who win though, so I'd like to see a change. Or rather, the Dark One is defeated but the world is left in war and debris, with huge losses suffered by all factions. So in a way.. not really a happy ending. Gosh, I never knew I was such a morbid person.

[Abiraleft]

Reading The Crucible by Arthur Miller at the moment; it's fantastic so far. On which note, there doesn't seem to be a thread on TSR for plays in theatre; are there not many enthusiasts?

[Demon_AS]

(Original post by Angury)

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Finally I've replied! Are you suprised? Sorry for taking so long, horrible exams and school work have kept me busy.
Yeah, tbh I should have expected that sort of ending from Harry Potter since it's a childrens book, but I still enjoy reading the series now and again. It'll always be one of my favourites because it's been such a huge part of my childhood, and it's what got me interested in fantasy in the first place. Without Harry Potter I don't think I would have ever started reading the Wheel of Time. The sheer volume of the books would have deterred me. Even now, whenever I'm reading a WoT book I'll have friends coming up to me asking how on earth I can read such a thick book.. and then they realise that there's thirteen of them!

I had no idea that the date had been moved forward to 2013. It is a little annoying because I had initially assumed it would be released in November 2011, but I'm sure it'll be worth the wait, and will involve an epic finale to such a brilliant series.

Personally, I hope a WoT film isn't made. I generally get annoyed at most films that have been adapted from books. I know they can't fit in everything but I guess you could say I'm a purist. The film makers always change far too much for my liking, and I often leave the cinema feeling disappointed. A TV series on the other hand, would be a better idea. I really love the way the Game of Thrones series was adapted to a TV series. I think it works better with a fantasy series that is lengthy, as it means that you're able to add in more detail. And when you consider the amount of detail that Robert Jordan went into in WoT, I can't see a movie working without having to miss out large chunks of the story.

I haven't actually put much thought into how the series will end. I've been too busy reading the Game of Thrones series recently to give much thought to WoT (my head is in too many worlds, and earth isn't one of them ) but I think that Rand will die in the end. He's gone through so much in the series already, I can't really imagine him surviving. Or if he does somehow manage to survive, I can't imagine him living for too long afterwards.. everything he's been through has got to have had a massive effect on him. I would like to see the series end with the Dark One winning.. I don't know why, maybe I'm just an evil person at heart. It normally is the good guys who win though, so I'd like to see a change. Or rather, the Dark One is defeated but the world is left in war and debris, with huge losses suffered by all factions. So in a way.. not really a happy ending. Gosh, I never knew I was such a morbid person.

Spoiler

Ahh, hello . Yes, I was bit surprised haha. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant one.

I know what you mean, I've had a lot of mixed reactions to the books and their general size (although, really, the last few Harry Potter books were pretty big themselves!) with some people being impressed and other people thinking I'm an incredible nerd . But what do they know, eh? Nothing like a nice, big book to make you feel reassured that you have hours of entertainment ahead of you.

I agree that they shouldn't make a film, and that maybe they could make a TV series out of it... but to be honest, I think they should just leave well enough alone. I tried watching a few episodes of Legend of the Seeker, which was based on the books by Terry Goodkind, and I lost all faith in TV production . I understand some of the limitations, but honestly. Some people just visualise the books completely differently to me! I would hate for that to happen with WoT...

Haha, that is really quite morbid! You WANT the DO to win? I have to say, I differ from you completely in this respect. I like a nice, happy ending to my stories. Something to continue the feeling of hope that life ends well for those try hard to do good . No?

[Angury]

(Original post by Demon_AS)

Spoiler

Ahh, hello . Yes, I was bit surprised haha. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant one.

I know what you mean, I've had a lot of mixed reactions to the books and their general size (although, really, the last few Harry Potter books were pretty big themselves!) with some people being impressed and other people thinking I'm an incredible nerd . But what do they know, eh? Nothing like a nice, big book to make you feel reassured that you have hours of entertainment ahead of you.

I agree that they shouldn't make a film, and that maybe they could make a TV series out of it... but to be honest, I think they should just leave well enough alone. I tried watching a few episodes of Legend of the Seeker, which was based on the books by Terry Goodkind, and I lost all faith in TV production . I understand some of the limitations, but honestly. Some people just visualise the books completely differently to me! I would hate for that to happen with WoT...

Haha, that is really quite morbid! You WANT the DO to win? I have to say, I differ from you completely in this respect. I like a nice, happy ending to my stories. Something to continue the feeling of hope that life ends well for those try hard to do good . No?

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That's why I love reading such lengthy series' like WoT and Harry Potter. There are so many books with hundreds of pages to dive into, that I know I've got so much to look forward to. A lot of people ask me how I can stand reading such long series, but for me, escaping into another world is such a pleasure. I have started reading non-fantasy books which aren't part of a series such as Lord of the Flies and The Time Traveller's Wife, but for me, fantasy will always come out on top because of the enjoyment that can be gained from it. One of my favourite moments is whenever I come across a new fantasy series that I haven't read, and realise how many books there are within it that are waiting to be opened. After the Game of Thrones, I'm intending to read Terry Pratchett. Have you read any of his books? There's a large collection of books in his Discworld series, and I've heard a lot of great things about them.

Ah, Terry Goodkind! There's another author I've been planning to read. Have you read the Hunger Games by the way? The movie is coming out this week, and I'm in a bit of a dilemma about going to see it without reading the book first. I always prefer to read the book before going to see a film adaption, so that I can become annoyed at the constant changes the director has made to the story, but I'm not sure if I should go see the movie first this time.

Well.. I suppose happy endings are nice, but they aren't realistic! Yeah, the good guys work hard but so do the bad guys. They view the world from a different perspective and have different reasons and motivations for doing the things that they do, but they still risk their lives and suffer major losses. I like happy endings but I also like stories to be realistic. I mean.. look at the amount of dangerous positions Nynaeve and Elayne have gotten themselves into, and yet they manage to get out of them unscathed. I'll admit that was mostly down to their skill with the One Power, what with Nynaeve being one of the most powerful Aes Sedai, but a lot of it was also down to luck imo. The reason I like Rand as a good guy is because he's so flawed. That scene in The Gathering Storm where he is sitting on top of Dragonmount with the access key to the Choeden Khal, thinking about ending the world right then and there is a lovely moment in the series, as well as a pivotal one. It shows that there is some doubt there, that he isn't perfect and that he will make mistakes. Since then he's become almost god-like, but the journey he's been through, throughout the series has been full of struggles. I guess in that respect, it would be a pity if Rand wasn't victorious in the last battle, after all he's been through.. but as long as the final fight itself is epic, with plenty of casualties on both sides, then I'll be happy.
Even if the good guys do manage to win though, I expect that the world will still be torn apart by different factions fighting one another for power and glory, a bit like after Artur Hawking died. People don't have to be darkfriends in order to do awful things. We've seen that already in the series, with the Daes Daemar in Cairhein, and the limits people will go to, to get some gold. And even without the Dark One having an influence on the world, people will always have something to fight and kill over. I certainly can't imagine the White Tower and the Seanchan getting along for a start. I guess what I'm trying to say is.. if the DO were to be defeated, a heavy price would have to be paid, and his destruction would not necessarily bring WoT land peace and prosperity.

[DebatingGreg]

(Original post by Demon_AS)

Spoiler

Ahh, hello . Yes, I was bit surprised haha. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant one.

I know what you mean, I've had a lot of mixed reactions to the books and their general size (although, really, the last few Harry Potter books were pretty big themselves!) with some people being impressed and other people thinking I'm an incredible nerd . But what do they know, eh? Nothing like a nice, big book to make you feel reassured that you have hours of entertainment ahead of you.

I agree that they shouldn't make a film, and that maybe they could make a TV series out of it... but to be honest, I think they should just leave well enough alone. I tried watching a few episodes of Legend of the Seeker, which was based on the books by Terry Goodkind, and I lost all faith in TV production . I understand some of the limitations, but honestly. Some people just visualise the books completely differently to me! I would hate for that to happen with WoT...

Haha, that is really quite morbid! You WANT the DO to win? I have to say, I differ from you completely in this respect. I like a nice, happy ending to my stories. Something to continue the feeling of hope that life ends well for those try hard to do good . No?

You got the 6666th post in the thread

[Demon_AS]

(Original post by Angury)

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That's why I love reading such lengthy series' like WoT and Harry Potter. There are so many books with hundreds of pages to dive into, that I know I've got so much to look forward to. A lot of people ask me how I can stand reading such long series, but for me, escaping into another world is such a pleasure. I have started reading non-fantasy books which aren't part of a series such as Lord of the Flies and The Time Traveller's Wife, but for me, fantasy will always come out on top because of the enjoyment that can be gained from it. One of my favourite moments is whenever I come across a new fantasy series that I haven't read, and realise how many books there are within it that are waiting to be opened. After the Game of Thrones, I'm intending to read Terry Pratchett. Have you read any of his books? There's a large collection of books in his Discworld series, and I've heard a lot of great things about them.

Ah, Terry Goodkind! There's another author I've been planning to read. Have you read the Hunger Games by the way? The movie is coming out this week, and I'm in a bit of a dilemma about going to see it without reading the book first. I always prefer to read the book before going to see a film adaption, so that I can become annoyed at the constant changes the director has made to the story, but I'm not sure if I should go see the movie first this time.

Well.. I suppose happy endings are nice, but they aren't realistic! Yeah, the good guys work hard but so do the bad guys. They view the world from a different perspective and have different reasons and motivations for doing the things that they do, but they still risk their lives and suffer major losses. I like happy endings but I also like stories to be realistic. I mean.. look at the amount of dangerous positions Nynaeve and Elayne have gotten themselves into, and yet they manage to get out of them unscathed. I'll admit that was mostly down to their skill with the One Power, what with Nynaeve being one of the most powerful Aes Sedai, but a lot of it was also down to luck imo. The reason I like Rand as a good guy is because he's so flawed. That scene in The Gathering Storm where he is sitting on top of Dragonmount with the access key to the Choeden Khal, thinking about ending the world right then and there is a lovely moment in the series, as well as a pivotal one. It shows that there is some doubt there, that he isn't perfect and that he will make mistakes. Since then he's become almost god-like, but the journey he's been through, throughout the series has been full of struggles. I guess in that respect, it would be a pity if Rand wasn't victorious in the last battle, after all he's been through.. but as long as the final fight itself is epic, with plenty of casualties on both sides, then I'll be happy.
Even if the good guys do manage to win though, I expect that the world will still be torn apart by different factions fighting one another for power and glory, a bit like after Artur Hawking died. People don't have to be darkfriends in order to do awful things. We've seen that already in the series, with the Daes Daemar in Cairhein, and the limits people will go to, to get some gold. And even without the Dark One having an influence on the world, people will always have something to fight and kill over. I certainly can't imagine the White Tower and the Seanchan getting along for a start. I guess what I'm trying to say is.. if the DO were to be defeated, a heavy price would have to be paid, and his destruction would not necessarily bring WoT land peace and prosperity.

Spoiler

Exactly! I will never understand why people look at a big book and get intimidated. I feel the same way about non-fiction books... sometimes they can be interesting, but they just don't seem to have the same thrill as fantasy ones. I've read the first two Discworld novels, which I have to say were pretty disappointing. I did read The Amazing Maurice though, which was moderately entertaining. So... I've a mixed opinion of Terry Pratchett. Give him a go, though, and let me know what you think!

I've not seen or read the Hunger Games, but I've heard a lot about it lol. At least, I've heard the name a lot. Let me know how it is, would you? My policy is to always read a book first and then watch the film... but I'm almost ALWAYS disappointed if I do that. So if you do it the other way around, at least you can read the book after and be happy at a good story . Maybe?

Oh, I agree that the post-TG Randland will be an interesting place to live. Aviendha's viewing in the ter'angreal more or less gives us an insight into the probable result of Rand winning. If the DO wins, though, that's the end of Time itself haha, so that'd be pretty boring as an ending. Don't you think? I find it curious that you don't like to see the good guys come out on top lol. Why? Is it just that you don't think it reflects true life very well? I do agree with you, though, that the Super Girls do seem to escape relatively unscathed from all challenges. Our boys collect their share of scars and missing limbs, though, so maybe that's why it's just the girls that irritate both of us. I genuinely can't stand Elayne's POV anymore.

[Demon_AS]

(Original post by DebatingGreg)
You got the 6666th post in the thread

I hope that's not an omen of bad luck, one week before my exams .

[philistine]

(Original post by Abiraleft)
Reading The Crucible by Arthur Miller at the moment; it's fantastic so far. On which note, there doesn't seem to be a thread on TSR for plays in theatre; are there not many enthusiasts?

Drama fan, checking in. I recently swam through Sheridan's The Rivals, David Rabe's Hurlyburly and Bertolt Brecht's The Life of Galileo.

Perhaps a thread should be started?

Anyway, I'm currently reading Svevo's Zeno's Confessions, John Cleland's Fanny Hill and *still* going through Zola's L'assommoir.

[Angury]

(Original post by Demon_AS)

Spoiler

Exactly! I will never understand why people look at a big book and get intimidated. I feel the same way about non-fiction books... sometimes they can be interesting, but they just don't seem to have the same thrill as fantasy ones. I've read the first two Discworld novels, which I have to say were pretty disappointing. I did read The Amazing Maurice though, which was moderately entertaining. So... I've a mixed opinion of Terry Pratchett. Give him a go, though, and let me know what you think!

I've not seen or read the Hunger Games, but I've heard a lot about it lol. At least, I've heard the name a lot. Let me know how it is, would you? My policy is to always read a book first and then watch the film... but I'm almost ALWAYS disappointed if I do that. So if you do it the other way around, at least you can read the book after and be happy at a good story . Maybe?

Oh, I agree that the post-TG Randland will be an interesting place to live. Aviendha's viewing in the ter'angreal more or less gives us an insight into the probable result of Rand winning. If the DO wins, though, that's the end of Time itself haha, so that'd be pretty boring as an ending. Don't you think? I find it curious that you don't like to see the good guys come out on top lol. Why? Is it just that you don't think it reflects true life very well? I do agree with you, though, that the Super Girls do seem to escape relatively unscathed from all challenges. Our boys collect their share of scars and missing limbs, though, so maybe that's why it's just the girls that irritate both of us. I genuinely can't stand Elayne's POV anymore.

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You're one of the first people I've met whose got something bad to say about the Discworld series. I've been recommended the series by all my friends, but I guess I'll just have to dive in and find out what they're like for myself.
Haha, that's what I'm thinking as well.. if you walk into the cinema without having read the book, at least you'll be able to enjoy the film without the constant thoughts of "Why did they skip that out?!" and "They've got the character completely wrong!"

Yeah, you're right about the victory of the DO resulting in the end of time.. but don't you think that sort of ending would be unexpected? I think most WoT fans are expecting Rand to be victorious, so it'd be a nice suprise.
I hadn't thought about it like that, but perhaps that is why Nynaeve and Elayne are so irritating.. because they're infallible! Mind you, Nynaee has grown on me, especially in the last few books. She's become closer to Rand and is actually beginning to understand him now rather than coming up with her usual woolheaded sheepherder rubbish. I think her marriage with Lan changed her for the better, and I like the way her character has developed throughout the series. I'm still looking forward to the meeting between Mat and Nynaeve though.. I'm sure she'll have a few words to say to him about his lifestyle.
And it's not so much that I don't like the good guys to win.. it's just that I don't like them winning all the time. I know I've used the Game of Thrones example too often by now, but it portrays my point perfectly. Whenever I read a book in the Game of Thrones series, and one of the main characters is in danger, I am scared for the character, and genuinely worried that he/she may not escape from the scene alive because of George Martin's history of beheading characters left, right and centre. Whereas in the WoT series, generally if Rand, Perrin, Mat or any of the girls are in danger, I know in my head that no matter how serious the setting, they will get out alive. Knowing that there is a chance that a character will die adds so much more to the atmosphere. It makes me more aware of the type of danger the character is in, and it emphasises the fact that in the end, everyone is mortal. Gosh.. I sound so gloomy. But I think I've put across my point: DO ftw! Deaths galore!

[Demon_AS]

(Original post by Angury)

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You're one of the first people I've met whose got something bad to say about the Discworld series. I've been recommended the series by all my friends, but I guess I'll just have to dive in and find out what they're like for myself.
Haha, that's what I'm thinking as well.. if you walk into the cinema without having read the book, at least you'll be able to enjoy the film without the constant thoughts of "Why did they skip that out?!" and "They've got the character completely wrong!"

Yeah, you're right about the victory of the DO resulting in the end of time.. but don't you think that sort of ending would be unexpected? I think most WoT fans are expecting Rand to be victorious, so it'd be a nice suprise.
I hadn't thought about it like that, but perhaps that is why Nynaeve and Elayne are so irritating.. because they're infallible! Mind you, Nynaee has grown on me, especially in the last few books. She's become closer to Rand and is actually beginning to understand him now rather than coming up with her usual woolheaded sheepherder rubbish. I think her marriage with Lan changed her for the better, and I like the way her character has developed throughout the series. I'm still looking forward to the meeting between Mat and Nynaeve though.. I'm sure she'll have a few words to say to him about his lifestyle.
And it's not so much that I don't like the good guys to win.. it's just that I don't like them winning all the time. I know I've used the Game of Thrones example too often by now, but it portrays my point perfectly. Whenever I read a book in the Game of Thrones series, and one of the main characters is in danger, I am scared for the character, and genuinely worried that he/she may not escape from the scene alive because of George Martin's history of beheading characters left, right and centre. Whereas in the WoT series, generally if Rand, Perrin, Mat or any of the girls are in danger, I know in my head that no matter how serious the setting, they will get out alive. Knowing that there is a chance that a character will die adds so much more to the atmosphere. It makes me more aware of the type of danger the character is in, and it emphasises the fact that in the end, everyone is mortal. Gosh.. I sound so gloomy. But I think I've put across my point: DO ftw! Deaths galore!

Spoiler

I do feel like I've been a bit negative about the last two authors your mentioned - GRRM and TP. They're all right, I thought the Discworld books were reasonably engaging but they lacked the storytelling elements that I enjoy in most epic fantasies. GRRM's work, whilst being gritty and explosive, just ran out of steam in the fifth book lol. So much so that I barely made it to the end in one piece. I'll likely re-read the series once the last book comes out in three years' time lol. Or five, or ten, or however long he takes. That guy is worse than RJ haha.

I know exactly what you mean about the cinema. Just look no further than the Harry Potter films - what a crushing disappointment they turned out to be lol. Ginny was way prettier in my head .

If you like gritty and real-feeling fantasy, you should check out Joe Abercrombie or Brent Weeks. Those guys write some pretty realistic-sounding stories, but they're still entertaining in their own way. And, I thought, much more engaging than GRRM, I'm sorry to say .

As for WoT - I'm in particular waiting for Mat to explain to the rest of the Emond's Fielders that he's married . I can't decide whether Nynaeve is going to be annoyed that she missed the wedding, or scared for poor Tuon who has to deal with him . I think Mat has matured massively since he started out, but it's never going to be enough for Nynaeve lol. The latter character has grown on me a lot, though, because she started off being insanely annoying and now is only moderately irritating . She keeps inventing new weaves lol, and it seems a bit unbalanced for her to basically reinvent Healing.

As long as Aviendha gets through out of Rand's harem, I don't mind . BS can kill off Elayne or Min, although I kinda like Min. She seems like the sort of girl I'd like to meet in real life lol. Elayne is far too girly for my liking. Aviendha is perfect, though . I like a girl with a bit of fight in her.

[Obsidian]

Just started to read Jane Eyre - been on my to-read list for far too long....

[Angury]

(Original post by Demon_AS)

Spoiler

I do feel like I've been a bit negative about the last two authors your mentioned - GRRM and TP. They're all right, I thought the Discworld books were reasonably engaging but they lacked the storytelling elements that I enjoy in most epic fantasies. GRRM's work, whilst being gritty and explosive, just ran out of steam in the fifth book lol. So much so that I barely made it to the end in one piece. I'll likely re-read the series once the last book comes out in three years' time lol. Or five, or ten, or however long he takes. That guy is worse than RJ haha.

I know exactly what you mean about the cinema. Just look no further than the Harry Potter films - what a crushing disappointment they turned out to be lol. Ginny was way prettier in my head .

If you like gritty and real-feeling fantasy, you should check out Joe Abercrombie or Brent Weeks. Those guys write some pretty realistic-sounding stories, but they're still entertaining in their own way. And, I thought, much more engaging than GRRM, I'm sorry to say .

As for WoT - I'm in particular waiting for Mat to explain to the rest of the Emond's Fielders that he's married . I can't decide whether Nynaeve is going to be annoyed that she missed the wedding, or scared for poor Tuon who has to deal with him . I think Mat has matured massively since he started out, but it's never going to be enough for Nynaeve lol. The latter character has grown on me a lot, though, because she started off being insanely annoying and now is only moderately irritating . She keeps inventing new weaves lol, and it seems a bit unbalanced for her to basically reinvent Healing.

As long as Aviendha gets through out of Rand's harem, I don't mind . BS can kill off Elayne or Min, although I kinda like Min. She seems like the sort of girl I'd like to meet in real life lol. Elayne is far too girly for my liking. Aviendha is perfect, though . I like a girl with a bit of fight in her.

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I guess GRRM has packed so much into his books, especially A Storm of Swords, that after a while it becomes a bit too much. I'm still on the fourth book (I've been busy doing other things!) and there are so many different characters being introduced that I still get confused sometimes. Compare that to WoT, where there's more time given for various events to unfold, and although there are quite a lot of characters being introduced, you're given more time to bond with them. Thanks for recommending those authors; at the moment I have a to-read list almost the same height as me, but I shall add them to the end of the long list. I'm currently trying to keep a balance between reading fantasy and non-fantasy, but in the end it just results in me having too many books to read, and too little time to complete them all. Yeah, Nynaeve has caused a lot of progress with saidar, but I think some of that was due to her capturing Moghedien and learning some weaves off her. Of course in the end, Nynaeve is a powerful Aes Sedai in her own right and deserves a lot of the respect she's given.
Out of Rand's three ladies, I will always root for Min. She's stayed the closest to him in the past few books, and he's been relying on her more heavily than the other two. I do like Aviendha, but whenever I think of her character, I'm always reminded of her arrogance and haughtiness during the first few chapters when she meets Rand. She's grown on me since then, but the Aiel in general are a bit .. strange.

[Demon_AS]

(Original post by Angury)

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I guess GRRM has packed so much into his books, especially A Storm of Swords, that after a while it becomes a bit too much. I'm still on the fourth book (I've been busy doing other things!) and there are so many different characters being introduced that I still get confused sometimes. Compare that to WoT, where there's more time given for various events to unfold, and although there are quite a lot of characters being introduced, you're given more time to bond with them. Thanks for recommending those authors; at the moment I have a to-read list almost the same height as me, but I shall add them to the end of the long list. I'm currently trying to keep a balance between reading fantasy and non-fantasy, but in the end it just results in me having too many books to read, and too little time to complete them all. Yeah, Nynaeve has caused a lot of progress with saidar, but I think some of that was due to her capturing Moghedien and learning some weaves off her. Of course in the end, Nynaeve is a powerful Aes Sedai in her own right and deserves a lot of the respect she's given.
Out of Rand's three ladies, I will always root for Min. She's stayed the closest to him in the past few books, and he's been relying on her more heavily than the other two. I do like Aviendha, but whenever I think of her character, I'm always reminded of her arrogance and haughtiness during the first few chapters when she meets Rand. She's grown on me since then, but the Aiel in general are a bit .. strange.

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Hello Angury! You could be right about the plot pace... I guess a lot happens with loads of new characters so your head is just left spinning as to what's going on. All I really remember was that I really liked Tyrion Lannister haha. I guess I like rooting for the underdog.

I recommend you bump Jim Butcher at the very least to the top of that reading list . There's a man who has the pace of every book done just right, and the stories he writes are top notch. I'm re-reading the entire Dresden Files series for probably the fifth time, and it only gets better every time.

What other fantasy have you read that I might also have done?

[Angury]

(Original post by Demon_AS)

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Hello Angury! You could be right about the plot pace... I guess a lot happens with loads of new characters so your head is just left spinning as to what's going on. All I really remember was that I really liked Tyrion Lannister haha. I guess I like rooting for the underdog.

I recommend you bump Jim Butcher at the very least to the top of that reading list . There's a man who has the pace of every book done just right, and the stories he writes are top notch. I'm re-reading the entire Dresden Files series for probably the fifth time, and it only gets better every time.

What other fantasy have you read that I might also have done?

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Yeah, Tyrion is definitely a favourite. Considering the sort of brutal world he's living in, it's amazing how he's managed to survive through it with his wit. Although being born as a Lannister has a lot to do with it as well. He hasn't popped up in A Feast of Crows yet, and I'm half way through which is a pity. I also really like Daenarys, she'd be a fantastic leader and deserves the iron throne. Someone who is strong and harsh enough to be a leader who will be respected, but also empathetic and caring.. that's exactly what that world needs.

I also got half way through Lord of the Rings, but had to stop because of work and never went back to them. Which is surprising I guess, since LOTR is one of those series you just have to read if you're a fantasy lover. I'll need to finish off the series during the summer. I was in Easons today and I had to exhibit a lot of self-control to stop myself from buying the entire fantasy collection of books. The Hunger Games were all over the shelves there because of the recent movie release. I went to see the film, and I like the idea behind the story. I've been told the books are the sort which you can't put down, so I might consider getting the first one and giving it a go. Is WoT your favourite fantasy series or are there a few which you want to read over and over again?

[Abiraleft]

Started The Feast of the Goat by Maria Vargas Llosa recently, seems to be excellent so far.

[Demon_AS]

(Original post by Angury)

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Yeah, Tyrion is definitely a favourite. Considering the sort of brutal world he's living in, it's amazing how he's managed to survive through it with his wit. Although being born as a Lannister has a lot to do with it as well. He hasn't popped up in A Feast of Crows yet, and I'm half way through which is a pity. I also really like Daenarys, she'd be a fantastic leader and deserves the iron throne. Someone who is strong and harsh enough to be a leader who will be respected, but also empathetic and caring.. that's exactly what that world needs.

I also got half way through Lord of the Rings, but had to stop because of work and never went back to them. Which is surprising I guess, since LOTR is one of those series you just have to read if you're a fantasy lover. I'll need to finish off the series during the summer. I was in Easons today and I had to exhibit a lot of self-control to stop myself from buying the entire fantasy collection of books. The Hunger Games were all over the shelves there because of the recent movie release. I went to see the film, and I like the idea behind the story. I've been told the books are the sort which you can't put down, so I might consider getting the first one and giving it a go. Is WoT your favourite fantasy series or are there a few which you want to read over and over again?

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I think I like Tyrion simply because everybody loves an underdog haha. Here he is, a dwarf who's had nothing but the contempt and pity from everyone around him, but somehow he manages to use his mind to make it work for him. I particularly enjoyed the recognition his own father give him for being the most like himself - a true Lannister . Also, Tyrion is funny as hell - he definitely has the best lines in the book.

I honestly don't blame you for getting side-tracked by LoTR. As the forefather of fantasy, its place cannot be contested. Its intricacy cannot be bettered by any series, including WoT. But for sheer reading pleasure... well, I have to say, I didn't really enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed other stories. The story is epic, and it contains everything a great fantasy series needs. It's just the style of writing is very heavy, and very prosaic. Betimes one feels like the script is more in keeping with a textbook than a novel. This is why I love authors like Jim Butcher - he somehow takes a complicated story and makes it extremely easy to read. I devoured all 13 books of the Dresden files in just over two weeks - that's how easy they are to read, but the pleasure I got from reading them was immense.

My favourite fantasy series... well, that's a tough question. I'll give you the best answer I can give, which is the top ten series' that I've loved since I began reading fantasy, but my love for them is equal and which one I prefer depends largely on my mood.

1. The Wheel of Time
2. The Dresden Files (Jim Butcher)
3. The Codex Alera (Jim Butcher)
4. The Farseer Trilogy (Robin Hobb)
5. The Tawny Man Trilogy (Robin Hobb)
6. The Serpentwar (Raymond E. Feist)
7. The Demon Cycle (Peter V. Brett)
8. The Kingkiller Chronicles (Patrick Rothfuss)
9. The Rigante (David Gemmel)
10. The Sword of Truth (Terry Goodkind)

That list was surprisingly easy to make, but I could've easily fitted in another 10 authors whose books I love reading over and over. If any of them, however, are unfamiliar to you... your life will only be improved by reading these books . How about you? Top ten series' of all time?

[Aleandcynicism]

Currently reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak as a way to unwind after finishing my uni work. And my oh my, it's good so far.

[Angury]

(Original post by Demon_AS)

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I think I like Tyrion simply because everybody loves an underdog haha. Here he is, a dwarf who's had nothing but the contempt and pity from everyone around him, but somehow he manages to use his mind to make it work for him. I particularly enjoyed the recognition his own father give him for being the most like himself - a true Lannister . Also, Tyrion is funny as hell - he definitely has the best lines in the book.

I honestly don't blame you for getting side-tracked by LoTR. As the forefather of fantasy, its place cannot be contested. Its intricacy cannot be bettered by any series, including WoT. But for sheer reading pleasure... well, I have to say, I didn't really enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed other stories. The story is epic, and it contains everything a great fantasy series needs. It's just the style of writing is very heavy, and very prosaic. Betimes one feels like the script is more in keeping with a textbook than a novel. This is why I love authors like Jim Butcher - he somehow takes a complicated story and makes it extremely easy to read. I devoured all 13 books of the Dresden files in just over two weeks - that's how easy they are to read, but the pleasure I got from reading them was immense.

My favourite fantasy series... well, that's a tough question. I'll give you the best answer I can give, which is the top ten series' that I've loved since I began reading fantasy, but my love for them is equal and which one I prefer depends largely on my mood.

1. The Wheel of Time
2. The Dresden Files (Jim Butcher)
3. The Codex Alera (Jim Butcher)
4. The Farseer Trilogy (Robin Hobb)
5. The Tawny Man Trilogy (Robin Hobb)
6. The Serpentwar (Raymond E. Feist)
7. The Demon Cycle (Peter V. Brett)
8. The Kingkiller Chronicles (Patrick Rothfuss)
9. The Rigante (David Gemmel)
10. The Sword of Truth (Terry Goodkind)

That list was surprisingly easy to make, but I could've easily fitted in another 10 authors whose books I love reading over and over. If any of them, however, are unfamiliar to you... your life will only be improved by reading these books . How about you? Top ten series' of all time?

I think Peter Dinklage plays the role of Tyrion brilliantly in the TV series of Game of Thrones. He's captured the character perfectly. Then again, most of the characters in the series are exactly as I imagined them to be; it's probably one of the few adaptions of a book that I enjoy watching. I really need to find a website to find season 2 online though!

I agree with you about LOTR being like a textbook at times. The amount of work Tolkien put into his fictional world is phenomenal, I just need to finish the darn series! At the moment I can't think of all the fantasy series' I've read, mostly because I've been reading some non-fantasy books at the moment so that I can open myself to more genres, but many of my favourite fantasy series are the ones I read during my childhood. The Chronicles of Narnia were lovely to read when I was younger, I used to read each book several times.
Have you read the Dark Tower series by Stephen King? I've only read his book It, which wasn't really my type of book, so I decided not to read any more of his novels, until I realised that he'd written a fantasy series! I'm tempted to give them a go and see whether I can get into his style of writing more in a genre that I love.
Another series I loved reading as a child was the Bartimeaus series. Most of my favourite fantasy series' stem from my childhood, so I am trying to get into more grittier stuff; thanks for your suggestions, I'll give some of them a go! Like I said though, at the moment I'm trying to open my mind a little and try out some classics. Have you read the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxay by Dougles Adams? It's very popular, and I've finally managed to get the time to start reading it from where I last finished off. Are you reading anything in particular at the moment? Or has any book caught your eye?

[Demon_AS]

(Original post by Angury)
I think Peter Dinklage plays the role of Tyrion brilliantly in the TV series of Game of Thrones. He's captured the character perfectly. Then again, most of the characters in the series are exactly as I imagined them to be; it's probably one of the few adaptions of a book that I enjoy watching. I really need to find a website to find season 2 online though!

I agree with you about LOTR being like a textbook at times. The amount of work Tolkien put into his fictional world is phenomenal, I just need to finish the darn series! At the moment I can't think of all the fantasy series' I've read, mostly because I've been reading some non-fantasy books at the moment so that I can open myself to more genres, but many of my favourite fantasy series are the ones I read during my childhood. The Chronicles of Narnia were lovely to read when I was younger, I used to read each book several times.
Have you read the Dark Tower series by Stephen King? I've only read his book It, which wasn't really my type of book, so I decided not to read any more of his novels, until I realised that he'd written a fantasy series! I'm tempted to give them a go and see whether I can get into his style of writing more in a genre that I love.
Another series I loved reading as a child was the Bartimeaus series. Most of my favourite fantasy series' stem from my childhood, so I am trying to get into more grittier stuff; thanks for your suggestions, I'll give some of them a go! Like I said though, at the moment I'm trying to open my mind a little and try out some classics. Have you read the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxay by Dougles Adams? It's very popular, and I've finally managed to get the time to start reading it from where I last finished off. Are you reading anything in particular at the moment? Or has any book caught your eye?

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I thought the actor who played Tyrion was actually better looking than how I'd imagined Tyrion in my head lol. But he managed to convey his personality exactly how I imagined it in my head. Definitely my favourite character in both the series and in the books haha.

Yeah, LOTR is hard going lol. Good luck with it! Narnia were excellent, too, when I was a kid. I still dip into them every now and again just to remind myself what happened. I tried reading Stephen King's Dark Tower series (or whatever it's called). I started off with "The Gunslinger" which I actually found pretty boring, so I never finished the series. I'll have to pick it up again some time - I think you'd enjoy it more than i did, though. He's very dark with his writing style, and that seems to fit better with my impression of what you enjoy .

I have, indeed, read the Hitch-Hiker's Guide . One of the funniest books I've ever read, and I always re-read it every five or six years just so I can get a fresh laugh haha. I'm probably due a re-read soon, actually. Douglas Adams was a very funny man.

Currently I'm not reading anything, although I did just finish re-reading David Gemmel's "Jon Shannow" trilogy. Again, this is very much down your alley, so you should add it to the books you need to read . Very, very dark... but also brilliant.